Quietly strolling through the early June gardens . . . while a gentle breeze whispers and restores, numerous birds sing and dart here and there, Tree Swallows silently sweep the sky, dozens of butterflies flit about the shrubberies and layers of fragrances merge . . . feels quite close to heavenly.
Rosa Rugosa and Miss Canada Lilac are very compatible in color and scent and are truly the flora stars of this late spring rambling garden.
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| Rosa Rubrifloia 'Glauca', Rosa Rugosa 'Purple Pavement' in North Garden |
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| Delicate Rosa Rubrifloia |
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| Rosa Rugosa 'Purple Pavement' |
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| Delicious! |
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| Rosa Rugosa 'Purple Pavement' in North Garden |
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| Unknown old fashion rose in South Rock Garden |
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| Unknown white Rosa Rugosa in North Garden |
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| Looking between Apple tree trunks up toward Middle Garden |
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| 'Miss Canada' Lilac, Beauty bush and Rosa Rugosa ~ Lovely shades of pink as seen from the barn studio door. |
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| Tiger Swallowtails were all over the florets of 'Miss Canada' Lilac just outside the barn studio windows. |
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| Looking north and down from the upstairs apartment window Miss Canada Lilac and Beauty bush spread out nicely. |
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| Spirea 'Bridal Wreath' spills over between 'Miss Canada' Lilac and Beauty bush just outside barn studio at sunset. |
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| A waterfall of white Spirea 'Bridal Wreath' |
I do get lost when walking out into our jungle-like gardens . . . camera around my neck, garden gloves and pruners in my pocket . . . hours go by without my noticing. I feel like a member of a wild community and there are many small eyes warily watching my movements.
Ms. Bluebird is busy building her second nest, in the same nestbox (after I cleaned it out), in the middle garden! Yeah! The Baltimore Orioles, Phoebes and Tree Swallows are steadfastly caring for their young and countless other birds are too . . . in hidden places I have yet to discover.
I am always discovering something new within this lush landscape and love how it merges with my softer sanguine self, to create an inner peace. For . . . have I mentioned . . . our gardens are like a jungle? Yes, I have a few times at least. After long years of anxious angst, I have accepted . . . that the gardens have a life of their own . . . and I have yielded to it . . . mostly.
Weeding to any major extent is impossible without a full-time staff of three or four . . . with two part-time helpers we are able to keep things we care about alive and at least give them a head start on the invasives. I have come to enjoy the rather overflowing garden floor and luckily most of my plants and shrubs reach high above the carpet of bishop's weed, bedstraw and (right now) comfrey. The comfrey will be cut down once the flowers have passed (pollinators adore the generous nectar) and I will continue to add more natives that are robust enough to survive here.
One thing that survives here with no trouble at all . . . is the pure magical quality of surprise and suspense.
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